10/24/2025                                                                            
                                    
                                                                            
                                            When Plans and Palaces Burn
In Hosea chapter 8, we read of a time when God had announced judgment on the nation for their agreement with sin. They had strayed quite far from Him and His teachings. They knew this judgment was knocking, so they did everything they could to save themselves from it. Everything except the one thing that God had asked of them. 
They sought to increase their money. They made deals with other nations. They built new palaces. They increased their defenses. Yet God responds that none of this will save them. If they had only repented, then He Himself would have been their covering, defense, and provision. He would have stopped the enemy that was coming. He would have stayed the judgment. 
My friend, no amount of finances, resources, networks, or multitudes of mighty men can change what sin sets in motion. Only repentance. You will never have revival, any other way than to forsake your own way, and humble to the word of God. You will never revive a nation or stop a judgment, no matter how much work you put into it, except that work be to preach repentance. 
America and her churches don’t like that message. They put their faith in mamman, and possessions, and programs, and personalities, and construction projects. Golden calves that take credit for God’s promises. But eventually God simply steps back and lets it all crash so that you will turn your back to it, (repent) and back to Him. 
Believing in God, is also believing in what He said. He will not bless, unless there is first repentance. You must be willing to change and let Him make the decisions based on His word and wisdom. Then healing, restoration, revival, and blessings will flow to a person, congregation, or nation. This is the message that God is relaying in Hosea chapter 8. 
“I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing….For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.” - Hosea 8:12, 14